Let’s have a list of New years resolutions & !revolutions! t

[Teadrinking]

Let’s have a list of New years resolutions & !revolutions! towards an ishy-er 2013.
Last year we moved properly from land to water and have been enjoying our new life on our boat. This has reduced a lot of our bills but we know we can do more to increase how energy efficient and self sufficiantish we are so here are my starters for ten…

1. Save up and install solar panals
2. Pay off the rest of the bank loan we took out to pay for the boat – gulp - this could be a 2014 goal
3. Tackle the 2nd lotty plot we were lucky enough to take over mid last year
4. Save beg borrow and steal enough for a greenhouse / poly (we’ve no window sills now so need somewhere to raise seedlings!)

What are yours?

[oldfella]

Getting to 2014.

[diggernotdreamer]

I don't drink or smoke, got no debts and I think my only bad habit is being on the internet far too much. This is the first forum I have been on and I quite like it, then I joined another one which is quite boring and full of fawning dullards who worship the king of the forum, so I will ditch that one, and maybe just look a the internet once a day and get more done outside (if if ever stops raining)

[JoseyJo]

1. Sort out finances - set a budget to live on each month and actually take the cash out of bank so I can't spend any more. Try to live on less than actual income so we can firstly pay off overdraft and secondly look to reducing the income we need in the future.
2. Be more organised with meals which will help the above as well as my general sanity.
3. Use garden, greenhouse and allotment to grow as much as possible. Try some permaculture and forest gardening out! (Hopefully helped by the long list of books I have left pinned to the notice board as a Christmas hint!)
4. Be more organised with time.
5. Use some of carefully organised time to try out some new money-making and money-saving ideas.
6. Try to do some yoga every day.

[marshlander]

Several of the above plus
Drink more wine& take time to sit in the garden.
READ some of the books I've bought recently - only skimmed through so far.
Say NO more often! Felt like I spent last summer in committee meetings or at fundraisers. Forgot what OH looked like and as for housework.....

[MKG]

Be more considerate to my feet.

Practice my irascible old man technique.

Successfully grow a bloody cauliflower.

Never again use the bright idea of stretching plastic twine across a place I walk regularly.

Oh - more wine. Definitely that.

Mike

[The Riff-Raff Element]

1. Spend more time in the garden - this should be possible.

2. Save up and buy / build a greenhouse so that I can do more at this time of the year.

3. Try and find enough to replace the few remaining single glazed windows in this house.

EDIT: I've just done a quick think thing, and although I didn't actually make resolutions last year (I seldom do due to a very low hit rate in keeping them), I have managed to lose the eight kilos that my doctor suggested I didn't need, halved my alcohol intake in line with his recommendations and for the past six months we've actually managed to come in well within monthly budget due to our actually doing some planning. It's just a bit of a bugger that I didn't have these as actual targets

[Skippy]

I don't make actual resolutions but if I did then I suppose it should be to at least try and finish some of the things I've planned over the past few years such as finishing the kitchen extentsion, building the cold frames and other greenhouse I've had the glass set by for ages, moving the woodpile, finish laying the path, take out a large privit bush, move the soft fruit, set up a proper water collection for toilet flushing rather than just the bucket.......
or say sod it and follow everyone else down the wine route


Pete

[Teadrinking]

Successfully grow a bloody cauliflower.

Mike

I'm up for successfully growing a bloody cauliflower. I've never ever got a curd and most of mine split into flowers straight away. Have tried really firming ground etc... any more tips folks?

One of our jobs this winter is to split a load of rhubarb crowns to increase the patch for wine, so we're on with that one as well

If we get a greenhouse we want aubergines this year!! I know someone who grows them outdoors in Manchester so it's got to be possible for us inside!

[southeast-isher]

drink more tea

and smoke my briar pipe more often

[yvette]

Improve my DIY skills - its no use waiting for my OH to do anything....

[oldjerry]

I resolve to continue being a kind and thoughtful partner.
( For Christmas this year Mrs OJ's asked for something in silk,..I just hope she likes the shade of emulsion I've got her..)

[citizentwiglet]

I am giving up the plonk in January for Cancer Research UK's 'Dryathlon'. That should save about 80 wine bottles from needing recycling.

I am determined this year to not let the weather get me down too much, so am considering turning my raised bed in the community garden over to growing rice.

I WILL do more with my space in the polytunnel this year, too.

I am going to become more crafty. I have to find something to do with the 300 odd jam jars I've been hording; because after this year's dreadful harvest they sure as hell ain't full of jams and chutneys.

[Skippy]

I am giving up the plonk in January for Cancer Research UK's 'Dryathlon'. That should save about 80 wine bottles from needing recycling.

I know the Scots have a reputation for drinking but are you saying that you get through 80 bottles of wine a month?
I'll confess I hadn't heard of this "Dryatlon" and had to look it up, interesting those sliders on their sit that allows you to work out the cost and calorie intake.
http://www.dryathlon.org.uk/


Pete

[demi]

I almost never drink alcohol but I need to really cut back on smoking weed, thats probably my biggest personal challenge.And for my OH too. But we're down to 3 a day just now so at least that's a start. Now if i could only go a whole day without that will be an achievement.

Finding time to read more books would be good too. Starting with 'In search of Schrodinger's cat' which i started and never finished, oh and i forgot i'm almost at the end of the last twilight book 'rising sun', not the one they just made into the movie, this one starts back at the beginning and it's from Edwards point of view. I'v just got a few more chapters to go, i'd totally forgot about it. And that will be me read every twilight book, 6 in total. They only made the 4 main ones into movies though.

And i must try not to put any weight back on. I'm 8st now and like to stay that way.


Gardening related we need to finish digging the well by spring time. We hit water but now need to put a pipe down and a pump and build the walls up. I say 'we' but really it's just my husband doing it. There's no way im going down that whole to the center of the earth!

Also we need A poly tunnel in the back garden to extend the growing season and get some winter crops. Now i can actually help out with that one